Mega Millions jackpot one of the largest on Friday

Tonight, someone may win the biggest Mega Millions jackpot in nearly two years.

At 11 p.m., the numbers will be drawn for the lottery, which is set at $291 million with a cash option of $157.2 million.

The jackpot is the ninth-largest in the 21-year history of Mega Millions, as well as the biggest since the record $656 million prize on March 30, 2012.

Chris Bushnell, the digital communications specialist of the North Carolina Lottery, said jackpots could soar higher in the future according to new game rules.

“It guarantees jackpots will get bigger,” Bushnell said “The big jackpot is the one everyone wants to play, and it’s always fun to play when it gets so big.”

The new format, which started Oct. 22, makes it more difficult for those buying lottery tickets to win the jackpot. The odds of winning the grand prize in Mega Millions is more than 258.9 million to 1, compared to the more than 175.7 million to one chances.

In comparison, the odds of winning the Powerball lottery — which currently stands at $100 million according to powerball.com — is 175.2 million to 1.

Bushnell said there are other features to compensate for the increased jackpot odds, including the better opportunities to win on smaller scales. The odds of winning some money in Mega Millions is nearly 15 to 1, compared to previous 40 to 1 odds.

“Mega Millions is easier to play other odds, which wouldn’t have been accessible in the older game,” Bushnell said. “This makes it more fun to play.”

Danielle Frizzi-Babb, communications director at the Ohio Lottery, said the increased odds have helped increase prize money for the second biggest prize in Mega Millions.

“If you previously matched five numbers, you would receive $250,000,” Frizzi-Babb said. “Now, we’ve upped that to $1 million.”

Frizzi-Babb also noted the new Megaplier format, which she said is one of the biggest selling points in the new game.

“The tickets are still $1, but for Megaplier, for every additional dollar spent, you have the chance to increase your winnings up to five times the amount,” Frizzi-Babb said. “For example, if someone bought a ticket, then spent an additional $4 and won the $1 million prize, they would get $5 million. Of course, the jackpot will remain the same whether the person participates in Megaplier or not.”

If there are no winners in tonight’s drawing, the next estimated jackpot will be at least $296 million, which would be the eighth-highest in Mega Millions history over the $294 million in the July 2, 2004 lottery.

“The jackpot will increase by $5 million at minimum,” Frizzi-Babb said. “If more people buy lottery tickets, the amount will rise even higher.”

Junious Smith III can be reached at 252-559-1077 and Junious.Smith@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JuniousSmithIII.

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